Yesterday gunmen loyal to Mr Arafat broke up a conference attended by Palestinian legislators in Ramallah, saying the meeting was part of a conspiracy against him.

Seventy members of Fatah, Mr Arafat’s faction, were meeting to discuss reform and growing anarchy in the Palestinian territories when the 20 men burst in and fired into the ceiling.

The meeting was ended, but not before a letter was drafted to Mr Arafat denouncing the lawlessness and corruption in the authority.

Maybe it’s just me, but the drama of the scene that you imagine from the first two paragraphs is dulled somewhat by the notion of everyone then standing around while a subcommittee works on the draft text of a letter. Anyway, it’s definitely a strange piece of political theatre.